[PUBLIC BONUS EPISODE] Interlude: Alf Gappen Was Here

Listening in July it was hard for me to hook into the goofy winter solstice vibes, but then the Nif tie-in hits and suddenly I’m applauding alone in my car. Well done.

Brennan you asshole! 😭😭😭 How could you drop that little witch shaped bomb on us?! *Full Aabria sobs*

Finally started listening to this today and nearly did a full spit take in the middle of the supermarket when Lou introduced his character. - 'poto' means 'butt' in Spanish. (eg. 'caro de poto' = 'buttface') - It's also the stupid pet name my partner and I have used for each other for the last seven years and I was NOT expecting to hear it here. 💀💀 Edit: I have now finished the episode and despite *dying* everytime Poto's name was said, I am now weeping at the bittersweet perfection of this entire story. Aabria ATE with that character concept and I will never ever recover from the Nif and the Elk of it all. Pure magic.

Slow on the draw, dreams of a song. Tears of joy in a work truck, journey home feels less long.

(Nief shows up) Me, dropping my knitting and yelling at my phone: BRENNAN YOU SHIT (Two minutes later) Me: OH AND HE’S AN ELK?!?!?!?

I finally got around to watching this and the reveal at the end genuinely snapped me out a really intense depressive episode and gave me back my will to live. Truly wild, forever thankful 🙏

I would be perfectly fine if Brennan told them beforehand that someone should play an Elk. But if he didn't and Erika actually picked an Elk in the moment fully improvised I am convinced that there is actual magic at play here.

Ok. I’m so late to this conversation. 1. Of course I absolutely sobbed that it was Nief. Neef. Nif. I love how I have no idea how to spell it. 2. As the reveal was about to happen of who it was, I ALSO really thought how beautiful and wonderful it would have been to be Wren Morningsong (Grandma Wren). 3. I did a teeny dnd game with my nibblings this year at our annual cookie decorating. My body was inhabited by the Cookie Witch who hates Christmas and is pissed we’ve done cookies every year and never invited her. My oldest nibbling painted her portrait and made me a dnd character card of the Cookie Witch as a gift. 3b. I will only be celebrating Alf Gappen’s day now. No joke. Cookie Witch will weave her way into the lore, probably as a kindred spirit to the Queen of Coins. I will be making a large Pato stuffy. All gifts will be hand made. Each year there will be a story folded into origami and each person will awake with one page. It’s too good to ever let it go. 4. Also? I know how much these things mean to all of us, so it feels weird to say why it means so much to me. It feels awkward and a bit small. But—last year at this time, I was doing heavy caregiving for one of my dogs who had dementia. I was up all hours and exhausted. We said goodbye after a month and I was really grieving. It was hard to do chores or do work for my fledgling garden. I started WBN in my headphones while working outside and would listen to hours on end. The joy and healing and tears was a real balm. When it ended I just started again. This year, I need to say goodbye to my other dog, Falkor. I made a blanket fort by his bed, and I’m reading him children’s books at night. It was really special to have this gift again at another time grief is feeling so close again. Thank you.

Had me in tears dammit 😭😭😭

I keep listening to this over and over. It’s perfect.

I've just started the episode and my little scandi heart is so happy! All of our words are in this one and it feels so nice 🥰

For last 3 years I didn’t have any celebration of Christmas bc of war at my home. And this year will be the same. I sobbed for a whole 1,5 hours bc I yearn that next year will be much better and kinder. Thank you that was beautiful.

I’ll have you know that Alf Gappen was here is my favorite holiday story and the Holiday isn’t even real (except in our hearts)

listening to this every winter is going to turn into a holiday tradition! i loved this story so much. i wish that Nief had a better time with Indri than the orphanage though! but luckily the wish came true with Ame and Ren’s cottage and the spirits there

Was actually sobbing when I heard it was Nief - and to think when Erika talked about Gallop I thought of Nief immediately, but this story means her familiar mightve been inspired by Gallop 🥹 NIEF MY BABY

Nief is a treasure, the witch who sings to the spirits. What a lovely holiday story, I really enjoyed this one. Teared up a few times, too.

So I'm actually not only a knitter, I'm a knitter who sometimes knits mittens, specifically for donation to Knit the Rainbow (an org that focuses on LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness). Among other things, they give out handknit and crocheted accessories to youth who are unhoused. I've already knit a few pairs for this year's donation, but when Aabria described holiday scrappy mittens and then Brennan came in with the brutally cute name lepitepi, I knew what I had to do. In honor of Nief, Gallop, and the whole Worlds Beyond Number crew, I knit an extra pair of scrappy elk lepitepi. I've just finished them, and soon they'll be going to Knit the Rainbow, in the spirit of Alf Gappen.

Krimskrams is an oldtimy word for junk or hodgepodge in german. I think some version of it exists in danish, too.

For real question, not meant as a gotcha. In main story Nief said she nearly aged out of the orphanage when Indri came for her. Per this interlude, she is seven years old. Did she stay there for many more years? Or is Rhuv kicking 8 year olds out like they’re full adults?

This was the sweet, festive morsal -nay- crumb! ;) that I needed for the holidays. A very Merry Alf Gappen's Day to you all!!

This story fucking rules

I love using the geas spell to get these orphanage workers to do their damn job lmao. Ughhh justice for Neef.

Listened to this with my family while driving in the snow ❄️ kiddo loved it. I might finally hook my partner onto WBN Magical, whimsical, perfection 🧤❄️🌨️

Oooh I want to listen to this when seasonally appropriate but I'm still on episode 48 in the main story. Can anyone let me know if that will be a problem?

Listened while shoveling snow. 10000% recommend the experience. You absolute units of storytellers, I just canNOT. Thank you for sharing. Beautiful.

"There are few things like winter that marry the feelings of wonder and joy with sorrow and solitude." Me outside shovelling snow: Fuck.

It is 7°F, I'm clearing snow in the dim of a quiet winter morning and the tears are freezing to my face as I listen to this. God damn it Brennan!!!

Got me right in the heart with that ending. Damn. Just damn. Well done

Another example of why these four amazing humans tell the best stories on the planet.

Up there with Muppets Christmas Carol. No joke.

OK off topic anyone who is in or can get to LA needs to run to Twenty-Sided Tavern while Aabria and Erika are still there, it's simply unbelievable how good it is--the two of them but also the whole production, just the most wonderful time (also ssssssorry about Ssssssuuuuuveye, Aabria, I didn't foresee the consequences please forgive me)

This episode was the most wonderful holiday gift for all of us. Thank you so much!

My favorite interlude so far!

Whelp, this made me tear up like 5 times at the gym!

Album art by the great Corey Brickley? I cannot find it! Can anyone tell me where it is posted?

I love that one of the spirits bringing warmth and love to this winter night was a murderous crabwalking nightmare. A spirit after my own heart. I could go on at length about my heart, but the creative use of magic, the lovely holiday traditions, the magic of a young witch calling out to spirits in her sleep... while knowing Nif's story gives us an extra emotional insight and knowing how witches interact with spirits gives us context, this is a gorgeous addition to winter lore on its own.

[tears STREAMING down my cheeks] HE CAN’T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!

I'm not crying you are crying 😭

MY EMOTIONS AT THAT REVEAL

There's no fucking way! I had a feeling in my gut and was sure you wouldn't punch it!

1:12:30 realizing and crying hard 1:15:00 mostly collected 1:16:30 sobbbbbbbbing

I sometimes struggle to get into the holiday spirit, and try to find that one thing that will cut through all the noise to remind me...and oooh, wow, did this do the trick for me this year! 🥰😂😭❄️

Goddammit I was so prepared for the players to be sad orphans that when Brennan said three spirits come to the orphanage I almost started to sob on my walk

*In therapy chair* And then it was Neif and Brennan made the happy sad again

Goddammit, Brennan. God fucking dammit. You can’t fucking do this to us. You can’t keep getting away with it!

That was the truest essence of a midwinter tale as ever I've heard 🥹 thank you as always for sharing it with us

That was so wonderful and magical.

This was so cute and festive and I absolutely loved it!!! 😭💖👑

When Erika asked as Gallop "Why does this child sleep alone?" I half-expected Brennan to say something like "Cause her vibes are real off, just a bad kid" like that one story from LARP camp But the actual reveal of who she was made me BURST INTO TEARS

But Brennan it's incredibly dangerous for them to be cooking with gas in that kitchen!

A true spiritual embodiment of many solstice holidays. Finding warmth and delight in the coldest, darkest time of the year.

Dude, the Queen of Coins transforming the gold and jewels into “treasure true” . . . forgive me if I take a moment, I need to tape together the exploded chunks of what once was my heart

When the kids asked for her paper... I cried.

This was so heartwarming!! Literally warmed me while I walked through the bitter cold today

Happy Alf Gappen’s Day everyone! What a delight ❤️

My favorite interlude. Yet.

Masterful. This is why we tell the story!!!!!

I STG I screamed I knew it 😭❤️

Good DAMMIT! Y'all need to stop making me ugly cry!

How eldritch, yet cozy…

Some of your finest work team

What a DELIGHT! Brennan, was the idea of the cauldron father a little bit inspired by the Dagda in Celtic mythology? I've never considered the similarity between the Dagda and Santa before, but there's definitely some shared vibes. Also, Potto for President!!!

When the little girl told the elk her name, I fully teared up

What a great episode!

This is so freaking delightful It should be an actual holiday movie

I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭

I’m trying desperately not cry at work. Thank you ❤️

Am I the only one who initially thought the little girl was Ame before Grandma Wren picked her up? It wasn’t until I heard the girls age that I knew it was someone else

Question : I heard Erika gasp at Nif’s name and though OF COURSE, THE GIANT ELK FFS. So, Erika, was it premeditated to play Nif’s familiar or was it Brennan pushing our/your buttons as usual? Thank you. Love you all to death. Absolutely howled of laughter at Lou’s falsetto, good job!

I haven't even finished the episode, and I'm sure it's been said before... but just beginning this episode (and relistening to the podcast) brings me such whimsical, childlike joy! (Perfect for Alf Gappen) I often listen to it while going on walks and I find myself laughing out loud in the street, or giggling, or jumping happily. I love it so much! Also I absolutely adore Aabria's character/concept off the bat in this interlude, I jumped up and down and squealed when she described her character speaking only in reflections of lines of the other characters...

For Potto to just give that woman “the Itis”, we need another Lou and Aabria “Black moment”. One nation under a gRhuv”

I was holding it together by a thread, but when the sleeping child said their name I lost it 😭😭😭

Im actively weeping! This story was so beautiful!!! 😍😭

I needed this. Thank you.

I gotta say, I've gotta say, of all the interludes we've had, this one's probably the strongest. Twelve Brooks Midsummer Festival felt a bit directionless and seemed to end just as the plot was starting to happen. The Clearing didn't have very strong characters in my opinion. Summer Masturi was cute, but just kind of ok. Fortune Found barely managed to create a story. Though Abria salvaged that trainwreck at the last minute. But this, Alf Gappen Was Here, now here's a quality improvised short story. Every character was fully realized and compelling, every dice roll and every decision pushed the story forward, the ideas thus presented were exciting, and it had a satisfying conclusion. 10/10 best interlude so far.

OMG I love these things they made up more than the original ones we have now! ❤️❤️❤️

SPOILERS . . . . . . . . . I feel so spoiled with all our Indri snippets, thank you for the crumbs of my queen

Y’all just made me cry so hard over made up words

I love the idea that The Final Visitor was suddenly assaulted by 40 small children singing a song that they had not rehearsed and only half of them even knew.

This is so beautiful and nice, but also gutwrenching thinking what the next years were gonna look like for her...

So….when are we getting a Poto plushie to comfort me with biscuits while sobbing through this episode???

I can't wait till Brennan has The Citadel seal the Queen of Coins in a penny or something...

I started listening to this today on my way home through some unexpected winter weather - absolutely the best way to hear this tale 😁 It was surprisingly not traumatic, but I still cried at least a handful of times 💚💚💚 I can't believe Erika chose an Elk spirit!!!!!

Thank you, guys. This brought more Christmas spirit and delight then I have experienced since I was a child. I love you, enjoy the holidays.

Spoilers Can’t wait to see some of Nif’s biscuit-based spells

NOT THE FULL CIRCLE MOMENT OF THE DREAM!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I was screaming before the moment, I screamed during the moment, I screamed at the end 10/10 happy Alf gappens day

Oh! Also! I shouldn’t be surprised at this point, but I am once again awed at Brennan’s ability to create lore and backstory (including linguistic drift) at the drop of a hat. But then he also surgically applies perfect character descriptors such as, “a shiver of a smile.” What a wordsmith.

I am so glad that Brennan didn’t have them play sad little orphans. This was delightful and heartwarming. I too was crying at the end of it when the spirits’ gifts were described. Beautiful storytelling.

i love how the players’ descriptions of the setting reflect their PCs in the campaign: the trick of light, the heavy door, and the strange tree

cannot describe the sound i made when we find out the child’s name.

Good thing I didn’t listen to this at the grocery store. Instead I’m crying in my house before going to work.

This came exactly when I needed it. So, quite simply, thank you!

I'm crying inside a gas station cooler. I love these nerds! Happy Holidays ya'll!!!

I’ve listened to this episode like 3 times already and it is so healing ❤️ I feel like a little kid experiencing some holiday magic for the first time I also love that Aabria’s holiday contribution was knit mittens because I remember someone brought her mittens when she was in NYC during December for Twenty-Sided Tavern. I just love the thought of how someone’s act of kindness years ago not only influenced our world, but potentially influenced Umora. HUMANS ARE SO COOL AND I LOVE BEING INTERCONNECTED (even if this is a headcanon 😂) ❤️❤️❤️

I just NEED yall to know that "krims krams" is an actual swedish word for decorative trinkets and tschatskis and "lappvantar" is a word for a kind of mitten....

I'm so glad the little pistachio farmer's voice came to visit again in such a wholesome way. ❤️

I love being able to scroll through a comments section that's just love ❤️

I'm so delighted again and again by the potent magic of collaborative storytelling the four of you bring. The lepitepi, crimskram, and glory hats each brought a crackle crackle to my heart. I agree with others: I want to make this a winter solstice tradition to listen to. 🫶

Just a simple thank you from the grateful little girl inside my heart who needed that and loved it 🥰

I’m fully convinced forever that Suvi’s Beautiful Woman mask from the Summer Matsuri was based on Zivah.

Meanwhile, we've accumulated 6" of snow today and it intends to keep on falling through the night. What a perfect winter's tale.

oh my heart <3<3

I don't know if this was done purposely, but "neif" is anglo-french for serf.

UGH 😭😭😭 I love ALL of this. The wonder and hope and heart. I often listen while I’m doing other things but this one I sat down and just listened like a little kid at story time.

I am fully sobbing, this story was so touching and the sounds design was so good, I think i'll make it a tradition to listen to this episode every December ❤️❤️❤️

As much as a frozen Alf Gappen is foreign to me, I didn't realise how much I needed this kind of hope, even if it was only for an hour and a half. Thank you everyone, and a happy upcoming Litha from the South. The song "Pocket full of Thyme" by Adelaide band Spiral Dance is well worth a listen 🍒🌻🌊🍯🍹

CUTE

Is this orphanage run by the Church of the Man in Black or something? It’s designed for lack of light, warmth, and forgetting? The caretakers are actively trying to be neglectful?

Ahem. Excuse me. Stars we haven't seen? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, BRENNAN!? HAVE WE NOT SEEN PLACES IN BOTH HEMISPHERES? WHAT SPACE CHICANERY IS THIS

I was pretty certain who the little girl was going to be but the reveal still had me punching and kicking the air triumphantly in my kitchen. A happy Alf Gappen's day to all!

Love how collaborative the interludes are, makes it feel like everyone at the table is shaping the distant lore of Umora even without their main characters being there.

I cannot stress enough how much i appreciate the happy and hopeful holiday vibes for this time of year. What a perfect perfect interlude!

i cheered at the Nif reveal

Watch out Hallmark. THIS is holiday magic.

Mannnn I read “Alf Gappens” and was ready for something so deeply silly 😭 now here I am WEEPING ffs…

I've had a weird mental health year and this was such a nice way to round out 2025. And only a few days after I got a The Wizard, The Witch, and The Wild One tattoo. Thank you to the entire team!

Wow….just wow….thats all I got…thank you

WEEEEEEEEEEPING!

Tears. Streaming down my face

Ooh christmas special ?? Fun ?? (I Hope XD)

Lou went full Pinocchio this session and I am Here For It

I didn't know I was getting this, but damned if I didn't need it rn.

Lou is a chicken at some point in 2 interludes now! 🐓 Winter and summer (Matsuri), biannual chicken!! 🐔

CRYING REAL TEARS

So good! Brennan that was such an amazing tie in with the representation of the elk and a certain witch. Did you plan this from the start or did you choose to tie it in after Erika made that animal choice?

I am filled with holiday cheer!

So, I sat down to listen while working on knitting holiday mittens for my father, immediately burst into tears from pure human connection to a story, and gently wept for the rest of the episode. Thanks y’all!

You goddamn motherfuckers got me crying at work!!! Not even grocery shopping and holding a lettuce!!! But for real this was delightful and I love it so much. The amount of times I've heard Lou Wilson do a high pitched voice for a character is really something, gotta use that acting training.

Visualizing Potto as a tiny 3 foot version of the Ghost of Christmas Present from Muppet Christmas Carol…a little absent minded spirit!

Drop the sad orphans you were preparing to play! 😜 This was so good! It very much felt like one of the better Christmas movies for kids. I would watch the hell out of it.

brennan is inventing a new sort of heinous act im going to call crimes for humanity where he uses biological warfare by weaponizing my own mind against myself by reminding me of true joy and childish whimsy with a few words leaving me to cry at work until i am severely dehydrated

Oh my god you bastards I love you so much. I’m not crying, you’re crying. 😭

i am sobbing

Left Hand of Darkness coded!!!!!

You…sonofabtch…Brandon Lee Muliigan.. you pull at my heartstrings and make my nose all snotty as tears stream down my face (multiple times). You are a brilliant, brilliant man and you have created the greatest Alf Gappen’s Day of all times. No wonder Neil’s familiar is an elk. By the way, this story this episode must be an animation or made into a book or we must celebrate this day. I want to make leppy-teppies and krymzcram and tea leaf cookies. I think it’s time for some fan art and annual Alf Gappen Day surprises in the merch store. Thank you for warming soul and reminding me there is a witch inside just waiting to be let out❤️🔥🤗🦊

Wishing a Happy Alf Gappens Day to you all! May you remember the gifts of the year behind us and receive the gifts you will need, my friends. 🥰

strap in, we're doing a magi and i am probably going to weep

Simply delightful!

Who else initially read "Alf Gappen" with very broad short A sounds like ALF the alien and had to recalibrate to the pronunciation? Also: Níf 😭😭😭 I wonder if this was going to always be her story, or if Brennan found that along the way. Their joy at realizing they got to play avenging spirits instead of sad orphans was so beautiful.

Y'all always make me glad Tuesday is my WFH day, so I can yell and cry as needed. This is my new favorite wintermas story. Thank you.

I have had so much loss in the last two months that it’s been hard to even think about the holidays, and this really is a balm for my soul. Thank you all for the stories you tell.

Fuck you Brennan 😭 /lh

I loved everything about this interlude. Thank you for making me sad but then making it better at the end. Indri (sp) gave, spider in a web, vibes.

Lou is Pato is my new favourite thing.

This is my new religion.

Merry Alf Gappen's Day fellow Cracklers

The music is as per usual, absolutely incredible. This was such a joy to listen to over a cup of tea this morning

THIS is the pinnacle of Holiday DnD. Weeping at work now 😭 it's so pretty y'all!!

The description of the building immediately made me think of Bolvangar from The Golden Compass

I love that Erika's contribution to the holiday was basically the Mari Lwyd because I love the Mari Lwyd

My heart 🥹 this is so beautiful! It’s an Alf Gappen miracle

This sounds so lovely, can't wait to listen

Was not ready for Lou's voice🤣🤣🤣

Also i LOVE the kind of world building present here, holidays and traditions and celebrations say a lot about a culture. Also clocked that Rhuv is very Germanic/Nordic coded. I wonder how much interaction the Rhuvians have with the Witch of Wind and Stars, with her domain at the Utmost North. SIDE NOTE: Someone please put a copy of "Polaris: Chivalric Tragedy at the Utmost North" into Aabria's hands. I know she's got a lot with her campaign coming soon, but i think she'd be interested in it.

The description of the Patchwork Mittens and the Glory Hats and the Cauldron Father... aaah someone's got a sneak attack with a bowl of onions i swear.

I love Tuesday

Also huge kudos to transcript release at the same time of the episode.

No intro - threw me off. Can't wait!

I knew today was going to be a nicer day than usual

I was about to do something but NOPE we're doing this

Hyped